


Loose End

by KahtyaSofia



Series: Captain's Blog - S2 [10]
Category: Torchwood
Genre: Episode Tag, Episode: Adam, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-11-17
Updated: 2009-11-17
Packaged: 2017-10-03 06:11:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 984
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KahtyaSofia/pseuds/KahtyaSofia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The answer to how Rhys' memories don't screw up Jack's plan to eliminate Adam.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Loose End

**Author's Note:**

> Due to the way the ep 'Adam' ends, there isn't much that can be written (as far as my imagination goes) that won't mess with the canon of the team not remembering. I can't say these are true parts of the Captain's Blog grouping, but they had to be written. I enjoyed writing Rhys. He's a neat guy.

When Rhys answered the door to the flat he and Gwen shared, Jack pushed past him and strode in to the main room.

"Jack!" Rhys called after him. "Is Gwen alright?"

He turned to face Gwen's distraught fiancé. "She's fine. I told you I'd make this right."

"So what's wrong with her? What happened?" Rhys demanded.

"I need you to trust me, Rhys," Jack said earnestly. "You know I would do anything to keep Gwen safe, yeah?"

"Yes, Jack. Of course. Now you're scarin' me, man!"

"I already have it under control. She's safe at the Hub with the rest of the team."

"Is her memory back? Does she remember me, then? Remember us?" Rhys asked desperately.

Jack lay his hands on Rhys' shoulders. "She has her memory back. She remembers everything. She's back to being your Gwen."

"I need to see her! When will she be home? Why didn't she come with you, Jack?"

"I need your help, Rhys. Gwen needs your help."

"What do you mean? How can I help?"

"I need you to take one of our amnesia pills."

Rhys pulled out of Jack's grip. "Bloody hell! With the amnesia pills again! Isn't that what got us in to this mess in the first place?"

"No. It's not. But it's what will get us out. You need to do this for Gwen," Jack emplored. "I've already fixed Gwen's memory. She remembers you. She remembers that she loves you. She used you as her anchor to retrieve all of her lost memories, and to eliminate the false ones."

That caused Rhys to pause. "She did?" Then he seemed to focus on the second half of Jack's statements. "What do you mean by 'false memories'? What false memories?"

"She had false memories implanted, and those are what knocked out the real ones of you. I've got her back to rights, Rhys, but your memories of what has happened over the last two days could undo it all."

"How can my memories affect Gwen?"

"Please, Rhys! I don't have much time. My entire team was affected. I was affected. Ianto was affected. This is larger than you and Gwen. You're worried about her, but I'm worried about her and three others! Gwen's had her memories of you wiped, but Ianto has had memories forced on him that are changing his character, his personality!"

Jack stopped to draw a breath as he realized he was losing his grasp on his self-control. The memory of Ianto's harshly whispered, 'I'm a monster!' once again caused a chill to course through his body.

"How did this happen, Jack?" Rhys asked quietly, snapping Jack back to the present. "How could this have happened to you all?"

"It's the rift. It's always the rift. It's why we're here in Cardiff. It's why we do what we do," Jack answered calmly.

Rhys gave a short laugh. "Now is when it changes, and Torchwood is ready?"

A corner of Jack's mouth lifted in humor. "Gwen been indoctrinating you?"

Rhys gave a small smile in return. "If I'm going to know what she does, she insists I understand why."

"Good girl," Jack said quietly, and took several steps toward Rhys. "Now please, take the pill. I need to get back to my team, and I still need to take one of these myself."

"If I refuse, Jack," Rhys asked. "Will your force me?"

"Yes," Jack answered simply. "If you refuse, and your memories cause Gwen to forget you again, the two of you will most likely find your way back to each other. What you have is real. What you each feel is genuine. You were already working it out when I discovered the tampering, weren't you?"

Rhys nodded in confirmation.

"Ianto won't be so lucky. If you undo what I've done, I'm afraid for his sanity. I'll lose him, but he may loose his mind." Jack was not going to let that happen. He would prefer Rhys' cooperation, but if he had to force the Retcon down the other man's throat, he would do it. He'd seen the utter trust and admiration in Ianto's young eyes, when he'd looked up at Jack, and simply said, 'You'. He'd be damned if Ianto's faith in him was going to be misplaced.

Rhys studied Jack for several moments. He was obviously considering what to do. Finally he spoke, "Alright, give me the damn pill." He held out his hand.

Jack handed the Retcon pill over with a heartfelt, "Thank you."

Rhys moved to the kitchen for a glass of water, and downed the white tablet. "What am I going to experience, here?"

"Get comfortable. You're going to go to sleep. When you wake up, you will have no memory of the last 48 hours, or of this conversation."

"Right then. You better be getting back to your team, then." Rhys sat down on the divan.

Jack sighed. "Yes. Thanks again, Rhys." he turned to leave the flat and return to the Hub. He had to confront Adam and Retcon himself before his team awoke."

"Jack!" Rhys called out to him.

Jack stepped back in to the flat.

"Yeah?"

"I hope Ianto is okay. Gwen likes him a lot. I've only met him the few times, but I could tell he's a good bloke."

"He is that," Jack agreed quietly. "And he likes you, too. Admires your affection and loyalty toward Gwen."

"I'm sorry you had to go through this with him. If it's been half as hard for you to see a stranger in his eyes, as it has been for me to see a stranger in Gwen's…" Rhys couldn't finish.

Yes, it had unsettled Jack to see that horrified and horrifying stranger in Ianto's eyes. Jack never wanted to see those shadows in his eyes again. "I'll send her back to you intact. I promise."

Jack left the flat to return to his team.


End file.
